As a business owner, you have to make several important decisions about your company's technological services. One of those is whether you want to opt for colocation or a cloud service. Before deciding, it is important to understand the differences between the two so that you can make the right choice for your business.
What Are Colocation and Cloud Services?
Colocation is when your business has its own facility that you can use to store servers and other hardware that is needed for operations. Every aspect from bandwidth to the physical security of your system is maintained in that facility. By contrast, a cloud service would utilize servers at a remote location to manage and process data essential to your business operations.
How Do They Differ?
Outside of the fact that colocation is maintained on-site and cloud services are maintained remotely, there are some other differences that could influence your decision. For instance, with colocation, your IT staff would be responsible for maintaining your network. If you use a cloud service, the provider's staff would take on the responsibility.
Colocation also requires your own space to store your equipment. If you do not have a location on-site that is equipped for the task, you could be tasked with renting space from a provider. The space is shared with other tenants, but you can usually secure private rooms, if needed. Cloud services do not have the same challenges since it is maintained remotely.
There is a difference in the fees you could face. It is possible that you could be charged for services, such as power and cooling, if you opt for colocation. If you are using cloud services, you do not face the same fees. In fact, some fees, such as those related to employing an IT staff, would be paid for by the cloud provider, since the provider supplies the staff that manages the network.
One final consideration to make when deciding which is best for your business is the availability of the staff. With colocation, you can ensure that your IT staff is available 24/7 for any problems that occur. This means quick troubleshooting whenever there is a problem. However, a cloud service might not have 24/7 support system in place. If you do choose this option and you need 24/7 support, you need to ensure that it is offered.
Colocation and cloud services are two good options that could be beneficial to your business in different ways. Consult with a data center like Cologix to ensure you fully understand your options before making a decision.
